Talk:CHAPTER 5: THIRD YEAR
Question "I estimated at least a hundred Senior Midshipman had assembled in the lobby by now. Everyone was Midshipman. I could not see any other ranks!"" All through this chapter Erik writes of Midshipman, but I thought that was only used for someone who was actually posted on board a ship, that at this point they were all still cadets> SoronelHaetir (talk) 19:13, March 12, 2014 (UTC) Answer They received their posting transfer orders before they arrived in the lobby. That is a military thing. The second any military personnel receives their transfer orders (or reach the date and time of when that transfer is to be commenced) That is part of the command chain logic. The second Cadet Smith is transfered.It begins the moment he begins said transfer (takes one step after he is handed his transfer) He is relieved of duty and post he held at his current location. For example he was in Engineering Class at Engineering School. So his assigment was Learn Engineering, his post was Engineering School and his chain of command was: Instructor - School Commandant- Base commandant- Academy Commandant.-union Fleet Now he receives transfer orders to the USS Example. His posting at the school has ended and his new posting is the USS Example (No matter if he is physically aboard or not) His new chain of command from this second on is Department lead - XO - Captain-Fleet the Example belongs to- Academy- Union fleet command. His CO (Captain) however is his highest direct order authority. The second eric was delivered and left the Hyperion. Captain Zezz command authority as CO over him has ended.(He is still a superior officer and has command authority as per rank but is no longer part of Erics chain of command) Every Cadet in that lobby received transfer orders to a ship. So the very second they are Midshipmen (That fleet keept the name of the ship a secret to them does not alter the fact)1 All of them were aware that they were nowshp posted because their ranks now identified them as Midshipmen) 1 The Fleet keeps that a secret out of one simple reason. Normal cadets receive their new posting and transfer at the end of year three and go home for a spell (That Eric spend his leave aboard the Hyperion is not the norm) To keep their posting secret has secuity reasons.. A cadet might be forced to carry a virus aboard, a shaill poison or something to even just delay the mission of the ship. Military security is quite paranoid and has good security measures in place (most if not all has been tried by Union enemies chiefly of course the Kermac) So it is a simple but quite effective way to keep ships and especially the devi safe by not telling what ship the Cadets will serve as a Midshipman ) Once a MIdshiman graduates to Ensign. It is assumed the officer is experienced enough to disclose his exact dates and deployments to trusted sources. Now imagine how a cadet might react if he gets posted to the Devi. I am sure everyone in his neighboorhood will know. If the cadet is home on Blue Moon the chances are not so slim someone might hear it that could use that info for al kinds of trouble. VR